The Sorrows of Young Hermione
by Louisabelle27
Summary: Upon her return to Hogwarts for her sixth year, Hermione Granger is faced with a new problem: love. As the year progresses, Hermione becomes increasingly focused and fascinated by her relationship with a certain green-eyed boy...


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September 5th

The crisp autumn winds are flowing through my veins, and the return to Hogwarts has reawakened my appetite for knowledge. This time of year makes me feel so fresh and alive. I love to be outside this time of year, and I try to spend some time each day wandering around, admiring the peace and serenity that comes each autumn, ushered in with a whisper of fiery leaves. Of course, I have an ulterior motive for taking evening walks - it keeps me in shape. I know that I'll never become some amazing superstar at Quidditch, or become wickedly fit this way, but I really do enjoy my walks, so it's good enough for me. It's quite peaceful to me, strolling through the silent trails, feeling relaxed and in tune with the world. At each moment when my foot strikes the ground, I feel a greater connection with nature and with the earth. It's wonderful to have some peace in my hectic life. I mean, I love Harry and Ron and all, but sometimes I really just need some time to myself, and my walks are great for that. Something feels different though. Being back at Hogwarts with Harry and Ron seems to be different than it has been in years past. "The winds of change" are blowing; who knows what this year will hold.

Summer vacation had gone by quickly for fifteen-year-old Hermione Granger. Hermione, devoted daughter and star pupil, returned, like most teenagers, to school early in September after a much needed and deserved break. However, unlike most students, Hermione finished all of her homework in the first two weeks of the summer, and enjoyed every moment of it. More importantly though, Hermione's homework covered Potions, History of Magic and Transfigurations, and it's not every teen who can say he did that over their summer break.

Hermione, a sixth year prefect for Gryffindor House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was the most brilliant witch in her year, and was the third member of the well-known Gryffindor trio of herself, Ron Weasley, and Harry Potter. It was because of those two boys that Hermione found herself even mildly excited about the start of term for her sixth year. But all in all, she was slightly muted in her enthusiasm about her return to school.

After the tumultuous events of her fifth year at Hogwarts, Hermione, for the first time in her life, had almost been relieved to be leaving school. The past year had brought stresses and troubles in all different shapes and sizes. Not only did she have her OWLs (Ordinary Wizard Levels) on her plate, but also, she had a dreadfully incompetent Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Umbridge, who took complete control of Hogwarts, Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, refused to acknowledge or validate the return of Lord Volde...He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and her best friend, Harry Potter, lost the only father-figure in his life; his godfather, Sirius Black, after dueling with his cousin, escaped Death Eater, Bellatrix Lestrange.

So instead of spending time with Harry and the Weasleys, Hermione traveled with her parents over the summer, and took time to relax and appreciate the inactivity and sluggishness that resulted from her self-induced separation from her two friends. By the time she returned, she had time only to take a day and pick up her school supplies from Diagon Alley before she had to be at King's Cross to take the Hogwarts Express from Platform 9 3/4 to her school in the middle of Scotland. September 1st found Hermione in her usual compartment with Harry and Ron on the Hogwarts Express and in her usual seat at the Gryffindor table during the Welcoming Feast. Before she consciously knew what was happening, Hermione had drifted back into the same routine she'd had for the past five years, and had begun her musing, once more, about her life.

To be continued

A/N: This is my first attempt at fanfiction, and so PLEASE tell me what you think! Read and Review please.


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